Spring-whiffletree hook



(No Model.)

J. H. POOTE.

SPRING WHIPPLETREE HOOK. No. 391,601. Patented Oct. 23, 1888'.

N. PETERS. Phnlauxmn hw, Wflhington, n a

NITED S'ra'rns Parana Cannon.

JAMES H. FOOTE, OF CINCINNATI, CHIC.

SPRING W'HBFFLETREE HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,601, dated October 23, 1888.

- Application filed November 22, 1887. Serial No. 255,950. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES H. Foo'rn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-VVhiffietrees, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to those whiffietrees which are provided with springs that prevent sudden strains or jerks when the horses begin to pull the vehicle, and one feature of my present improvements comprises a novel method of applying such springs. This method includes a yielding device at each end of the whiflietree, which device has an eye or other means for the ready attachment of the singletree clevis or shackle, andiusually consists of a lever having a spring or springs applied thereto in such a manner as to resist the pull of the horses; but in some cases the singletreeclevis may be coupled directly to the free end of the spring, and a link or shackle may be arranged to limit the play of said spring, as hereinafter more fully described.

Another feature of my improvements consists in providing the clip-plates of the lever housings with sockets to admit a bent or perforated bar that serves as a loop, to which one end of a stay-chain is attached, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of one end of a whiffietree provided with my preferred arrangement of spring-connection. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through thesame. Figs. 3, 4:, 5,. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 are modifications of the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents one end of an ordinary whiffietree, and B B are clip-plates secured, respectively, to the upper and lower sides of said whiftletree by bolts C, the front portions of said plates being perforated at b b, to admit a pivot, D, upon which swings a beltcrank composed of a long arm, E, anda short arm, E, the free end of the arm E having an eye, 6, to which the singletreeclevis is coupled in the usual manner. The free end of the other arm, E, is provided with an eye, e, to which is attached one extremity of a plate-spring, F, composed of one or more levers, as occasion may suggest. The opposite end of this spring is coupled to a lug, 9, that usually projects from a lateral exten sion, G, of the clip-plates, the rear portions of the latter being furnished with sockets b, to admit a bent or perforated bar, E, that serves as one of the loops to which a stay-chain is fastened. I is a stop that holds the bell-crank in its normal position.

From the above description it is apparent that when the singletree is coupled to the arm E and a horse hitched to the former the spring F will yield the moment the animal begins to pull, and thereby prevent any injurious strains or sudden jerks. It is also apparent that the plates B B serve as a housing that protects a portion of the devices and prevents them being injured.

In the modification of my invention seen in Fig. 3 an auxiliary spring is used, said spring being coiled around the pivot D at J, and then bent over the arm E at j, the opposite ends of said spring being finally secured to a bar or lug, j, of the housing. The lug g in this illustration projects from a cap, G, secured to the extreme end of the whifiietree. Either or both of these springs F J may be employed, as circumstances may suggest. the modification seen in Fig. 4 the short arm of the bell-crank is cushioned against a compressible buffer, K, composed of india-rubber or other suitable material, the unyielding end of said buffer being seated within a socket, 7c, secured to the whiffletree. In the modification seen in Fig. 5 the short arm of the bellcrank has a roller, Z, journaled in it, which roller bears against a semi'elliptic spring, L, whose opposite ends are rigidly confined within keepers m m of the lateral extensions M M of the clip-plates. In Fig. 6 the eye 6 of lever E is situated between the fulcrum and free end of said lever, the latter being maintained in its normal position by the platespring F.

N is a link, ring, or shackle hung upon the lever E and adapted to travel along the staple or other keeper a when said lever is pulled forward. Furthermore, this link serves as a stop that limits such forward swing of the lever, and thus prevents the spring breaking. In Fig. 7 the spring is coupled to a link, 0, which latter is so connected to the housing as to swing freely when the pull is exerted against the bell-crank. 0 is a plate that prevents the outer end of the'spring injuring the front edge of the whiffletree. In the modification seen in Fig. 8 the short arm of the bell crank is bent around until it almost touches the long arm, the interval P between said arm admitting the free end of a spring, R, whose opposite end is secured within a socket, r. In Fig. 9 an almost straight lever, S, takes the place of the bell-crank, said lever being provided with a swell, 8, bearing upon the free end of a platespring, T, the latter being integral with acap, t, secured to the whiffletree. In Fig. 10 a straight lever, U, is hung upon the pivot D of the housing or clip-plates, and is pressed toward the whiftletree by a plate spring, V, whose fixed end is secured to said housing. The free end'of this lever has a link or shackle, W, hung from it, which shackle is traversed by a staple or similar keeper, X. When this lever is pulled forward, the spring takes up the strain and the shackle transfers the pull to the whifiletree. Fig. 11 shows the rigid lever omitted and its duty performed by a limber lever, F, one end of which is secured to the whiffietree,while its free end has the clevis f of the singletree coupled to it. link, or ring applied to the free end of this limber lever and adapted to travel along the keeperg when said lever is drawn forward. Finally, the dotted line 0 (seen in Fig. 7) indicates any suitable form oflongitudinal spring that may extend in front of thesingletree and connect the short arms of the bell-cranks at the opposite ends of the same. It will be apparent that these modifications all include the leading feature of my inventionthat is to say, they show a lever to which the singletree is to be coupled and a spring that resists the action of the lever when the horses first begin to pull Y is a stop,

the vehicle. Various other modifications of my invention will readily suggest themselves after inspecting these drawings.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with a whifiletree, of a pair of housingplates. a pivot near the front of said plates, and a double armed lever fulcrumed on said pivot, one arm of said lever having means for attaching the singletree and the other arm being provided with a spring or springs that resist the pull of the team, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination, with a whiffletree, of housing B B, pivot D, bell-crank Ee E e, and spring F, one end of said spring being coupled to the arm E e and its opposite end being secured to the whiffletree, or to an attachment of the same, as herein described.

3. The combination, with a whifiletree, of housing B B, pivot D, bell-crank E c E c, and springs F J j, all arranged and operating as herein described.

4;. The combination, with a whiffietree, of the housing B B, whose front ends are provided with apivot, D, for the spring-lever,and whose rear ends have sockets bb, that admit the stay chain loop H, as described.

5. The combination, with a whiffletree, of a pivoted lever for the attachment of the singletree, a spring that resists the pull of the team, and a shackle that limits the forward swing of said lever, as herein described.

6. In a whiffletree, the clip or housing-plate B, having a lateralextension, G, to which the fixed end ofthe spring F is applied, for the purpose stated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. FOOTE.

Witnesses:

JAMns H. LAYMAN, EDWARD G. FERGUSON. 

